Sweet Sweet Sugar
by Warfang
Summary: Mikado works in an ice-cream parlor.
1. Chapter 1

[Sweet Sweet Sugar]

Mikado tied his apron on, before stepping up behind the counter. His thoughts buzzed around his history paper, wrapping up his thesis and his resources before the bell over the door chimed.

Shinra waltzed in, nodding at the set up of the front. He plopped a laptop down on top of the counter. "We might not see any customers you'll serve until the afternoon, so here's something to keep you busy."

The underground doctor continued on into the back, and Mikado sighed, before lugging the laptop onto the only surface that wouldn't be in the way- the spare stool to sit on behind the counter.

Booting up the laptop, Mikado finished the paper and emailed it to himself.

The door chimed. "Welcome!" Mikado called out, standing up.

A man in a fur jacket blinked at him, before grinning widely.

_Oh, crap._

"Orihara-san, yes? Shinra is in the back." Mikado cut him off. Orihara Izaya pouted, clearly off put by the new human knowing him on sight.

Then his face twisted out. "What's your name?"

Mikado pointed to the name sewn into the apron. Orihara blinked at him.

"Are you promoting an air conditioner?"

Mikado felt the muscles in his face slacken, his blank expression settling in. Perhaps Kishitani-sensei had taught him too well…

"No."

Orihara-san looked absolutely delighted. Then he pointed to a tub of ice cream. "Three scoops, please!"

Mikado nodded, an orchestrated expression flitting across his face before the vague look settled in again.

He was pretty sure that Izaya was drooling over him more than the vanilla ice cream. Grabbing a tub, Mikado deftly warmed up the scooper before twisting three perfect scoops into the rounded paper. Placing the container on the top, he rattled off the sum and ended with "and toppings are just an additional thirty yen each. Anything capture your fancy?"

Izaya sent him a look that implied he would love to have Mikado be the topping.

Mikado gave him a cheery smile and a steely glare.

Izaya vaulted the counter.

Anyone else, Mikado would have screamed and ran. Anyone else. Instead, he barked, "Hey, get out! You'll contaminate the workplace! You have to wash your hands and put an apron on first! Also, a hair net!"

His hand moved without thinking and he pointed to the customer side of the counter, as though scolding a misbehaving puppy.

Izaya jumped back over the counter, grabbed his ice cream and scurried into the back. Mikado grumbled under his breath about informants with crazy parkour skills, before realizing he was about to wipe exact change onto the floor. With a grumble, he opened the tiller and entered the purchase.

He cleaned down the counter and stretched, looking out at the few people that walked by. Sure, the place had an underground entrance, and the location wasn't ideal, but at least some people out for a stroll would find the place tucked away for a small treat.

The shop looked like most cafés, themed towards younger children. The white tiles had swirls of green and cotton candy pink through them, while the chairs were a nice green and blue mix around circular tables. Booths lined the wall to Mikado's left, the rest of the ice cream store full of wide glass windows.

Several ceiling fans quietly whispered away above his head.

With a sigh, Mikado turned back towards the laptop to see about a few plans for the weekend.

The laptop was gone.

Damn that Izaya.

Mikado picked up his cell phone and opened it before realizing that it was a black model, different from his pink one. With a frustrated sigh, Mikado hacked into the cell phone.

"Shizuo-san,

I love you so much. Meet me at the ice cream parlor near the park in Ikebukuro.

Love,

Flea."

With an evil smirk, Mikado pocketed the cell phone.

Shizuo-san showed up, and Mikado sang out a greeting. The blond ex-bartender looked around, noticing the place was empty.

"Ah, are you his friend?" Mikado asked him.

Shizuo-san appeared to look at him. "There was a man in here, he looked nervous. In fact, he jumped the counter and then headed back there."

Well, Mikado reasoned, a white lie was just as manipulative.

Shizuo nodded, and headed through.

Mikado felt the smile fall off his face, and the cold, blank one came back over.

Whoops, maybe he should have warned Kishitani-san, but then again, he was friends with Izaya, and he couldn't exactly afford to kick Mikado out. But perhaps he would be scolded while eating Celty's food.

Indeed, Izaya came running out a few minutes later, vaulting the counter again.

"Why you sneaky little sneak! That was so impressive!" He beamed. His arm curled around Mikado's neck, and Mikado felt his pocket shift as the cell phone was retrieved.

"You phone was annoyingly encrypted, and Shinra wouldn't let me download from it either."

"So you pulled the SIM card?" Mikado dead panned, holding out his hand to get his pink cell phone back.

Izaya paused.

Mikado shot his hand out to grab his wrist, succeeding in sending his cell phone to the floor as Izaya snatched his hand back.

"My, my, I do wonder where my head is at. Later!" he called, vaulting back over the counter. Shizuo emerged from the back doorway as Izaya ran off down the street.

Shizuo sighed and looked at Mikado.

"You need a different code for 'Izaya is bothering me'." He informed Mikado.

"Ah, yes. But thank you, Shizuo-san. He stole Kishitani-san's laptop, and my cell phone. I'm not worried about the laptop, though."

Shizuo nodded.

Shinra came in after him. "Ah, I wondered what he passed off to be carried out. Did you at least finish your essay?"

"Yes. It's in cyber space now, so I'll be able to retrieve it later. Which reminds me. Excuse me a moment."

Mikado entered his address and changed the password, snapping his cell phone shut.

"Masaomi-san said he would be here to pick me up around five. Will that be okay?"

Shinra nodded.

Shizuo reached into his vest for his glasses.

"I'll be going then."

"Ah, would you like some to take back?" Mikado asked him.

Shizuo looked at the sweets. "I…"

"I'm sure Tom-san would like to have some. After all, I did pull you away from your job." Mikado chirped at him.

Shinra sighed and ducked back in, knowing how this would end. Watching Mikado shape up into a legendary manipulator was strange, but if watching over him would earn him more of Celty's affection, then he would do it.

But that boy needed to learn to curb his abilities. He would find himself without friends soon.

Shizuo-san showed up at the agreed meeting place thirty minutes early and with two ice cream cones- one strawberry and the other banana.

"Wow. Did Izaya run that fast?" Tom asked.

"Something like that. And these are 'thank you's from Mikado." Tom accepted his with a nod, and they began walking to the next debtor.

They had finished for the night, long after Masaomi would have walked Mikado back to Celty's apartment, before Shizuo spoke to him again.

"I'm starting to worry about the kid. He sic'd me on Izaya without a second thought over his cell phone. Do you think….Mikado will ever come back to us?"

Tom considered his answer carefully.

"I don't know. He wakes up each day thinking that it is then, doesn't he? That he'll go work for Shinra, and then go eat Celty's cooking, and ask them for Sonohara-san's hand. But after walking into that fight three years ago…it wasn't your fault, Shizuo. Nor was it Izaya's."

There was silence as they headed back to their boss's office.

"I've heard he's taken up running and parkour." Tom stated neutrally.

Shizuo snorted. "Well, eating three scoops of ice cream a day doesn't help his scrawny ass. But I've stopped chasing him out of the ice cream parlor."

And out of Ikebukuro. I don't ever want to see that damn flea cry again. Even if it isn't over someone else. Even if it's for such a selfish reason as losing his 'entertaining' Mikado. Funny though, I would think the damn flea would want to cause trouble around this situation.

Tom turned in the money, marking who had coughed up and who had more time, planning the next day's route before heading off and giving Shizuo a place to meet up, usual time.

…..

Mikado hummed happily to himself. Tomorrow, he would tell Anri-chan that her parents said 'yes' and they could get married.

…..

Across town in Shinjuku, a woman ate the rest of the melting vanilla ice cream that an informant had bought her. Her sword rested against the table, listening to how Mikado was doing. The informant fell quiet.

"I've….talked with all the doctors. They say even with surgery, he might not come back. He might lose even more than a day. We could try video-tapes." He suggested. She shook her head.

"I think it's safer for him this way. He was slipping away from us, in a sense that I still don't understand. We were so happy, how could he….how could such a shadow creep into him? Why was he turning into you?" She demanded.

Izaya sighed and leaned back.

"I might know Kida-kun inside and out, but he always surprised me. I don't know how he works."

She stood up. Setting the paper container down, she picked up her clothed sword and headed out. Izaya waved at her retreating back.

"Come back anytime….Saika." he whispered.

…

Several towns away, a man wearing a yellow scarf carved a man to pieces, peeling skin back piece by piece as his wife filmed, a set and stony expression on her face.

This wouldn't bring Mikado back. But it would avenge the memory of the happy boy, bludgeoned by a jealous stalker of Anri, during the chaos of a fight between two of his friends.

Still, ironic that the day Mikado was trapped in, was one of the happiest days he had, Masaomi mused to himself. But he might notice that time wasn't standing still with him. What to do then?

The man begged as Kida trailed the skinning knife down his arm again. With a sigh, he grabbed the glue and stopped the bleeding. Saki stepped back and watched her husband open up the kiln and place the man inside, shutting the door.

He bleached the blood stains and paused the recorder, pulling out a deck of cards. They would have to wait to ensure nothing remained.

END

So, this started all happy, and then took a nose-dive. ^.^ Please tell what you think, I've got a third of a mind to scrap it and redo it, or at least to add another two ideas where Mikado works in an ice cream parlor, which won't be connected in anything but theme to this first one. So it would go 'Angsty, weird, happy'.


	2. Chapter 2

[Sweet Sweet Sugar]

Summary: Four more times Mikado worked at an ice-cream parlor, and the one time he was treated to one.

[Second Idea]

Mikado smiled as the lady placed her order, efficiently scooping out the ice cream and lining up the bowls for toppings and condiments. He slotted the cones into a hooped container, and she paid.

Handing over the treats, Mikado wished her a good day, and she smiled, signing back 'you too.'

Kida shook his head off to the side.

"I still can't believe that you took sign language as your foreign language skill." Wiping down the tables across the café, Sonohara Anri smiled to herself.

"I think it's excellent that Mikado can cater to the customers. Plus, we really do have all kinds coming through here." She straightened up, tossing the rag back into the bucket and moved to another table.

Mikado glanced over the weather chart, and nodded.

"Well, tomorrow you can get out of here and take the hand cart to the parks, Kida. Be sure to stock up on what kids like, and remember- twelve and under must be accompanied by an adult."

Kida saluted.

"What colors will I be flying?" The college graduate asked.

"The usual yellow and blue. Make sure the parks are definitely ours, I don't want another Dollars incident." Mikado shuddered.

Anri and Kida tittered, grinning.

"It wasn't that bad, Mikado." Anri crossed over to them in her heels, her candy-red apron covering up her practical black pants and white t-shirt. She rested her hands on the counter. "I mean, it was funny. Plus, all the other upstart gangs and the yakuza got a fright."

She smiled at them, a warm small smile.

Kida beamed. "Yeah, we really did give you scare, though. You always wanted to be a 'good' kind of gang."

Mikado sighed. His two best friends…

"I'm so sorry. For both of you. You could be living your lives if not for me." Mikado uttered.

Anri and Kida both shook their heads. Sighing, Anri flipped herself over the counter.

"Mikado, we decided to follow and protect you on our own. If Izaya did anything, it was to show us we made the right decision." She hugged him, pressing his taller form into hers.

Kida nodded and slung an arm over both of them.

"Besides, being your vassal isn't such a horrible thing! It's not a death sentence, we could walk out anytime we wanted to."

Lie.

Kida told such nice lies. They were never going to leave him. They were unable to leave, shackled here by caring for him.

"Besides," Kida continued on, "we made this life for ourselves, so even if we left," he lifted Mikado's face up with his finger under the chin, "we would kidnap you and take you with us."

Mikado managed a weak smile.

Here inside Dollars HQ, he stood with his two friends, daring the future to come at him.

[Third Idea]

Mikado stepped off the train. Due to his family suddenly moving into Ikebukuro, his father had moved in first and secured a house, before realizing he was only a few streets from the Masaomi household.

Unfortunately, Kida's parents were out on a business venture and had a crazy life-style going on, but Kida had stayed behind and had happily proclaimed that Mikado could stay with him while the house had been bought.

In the transition of the movers, Mikado's mother had packed his bag and sent him on.

"Spend a few weeks with Kida-kun while we figure this out." She told him, and saw him off.

Mikado felt slightly apprehensive. His parents had been acting oddly lately, and Mikado had tried his best to hack into their computers, but….

….there was no way that was true, right?

He was brought out of his musings as a blond head popped into his vision. "Mikado-kun! It's great to see you again! Ah, this is Izaya-san, I ran into him on the way over."

The man wearing a fur jacket towering over Kida grinned and bowed at the waist. "Orihara Izaya. Pleased to meet you."

Mikado returned the bow. "Ryugamine Mikado. Thank you for walking Kida-kun over."

Both Kida and Izaya shared a smile at that. "Ah, Mikado, it's not that bad here in Ikebukuro. Well, there are the color gangs to watch out for, but nothing really troublesome." Kida grinned as he slung an arm around Mikado and walked him out.

Mikado nodded.

"Was there anything you wanted to see?"

"Uhm, well, I wanted to drop my stuff off, and then maybe see a park?" Mikado responded timidly.

Izaya sighed. "I'm afraid I'm scaring him, Kida-kun. I'll leave."

"Ah! No! I mean…uhm." Mikado fumbled.

Kida laughed as they emerged from the station. Mikado finally blurted out that Izaya tagging along was okay since he was Kida's friend.

Izaya grinned and hugged Mikado, before linking both boys in his arms. "Well then, onwards to the house!" He cheered.

* * *

Mikado moved in, and since it was summer, he was either hanging out with Kida-kun and his group of friends, or making himself scarce at an ice cream parlor while Kida was out dating his girlfriend, Saki.

Sure, Mikado knew Kida would have other friends, but wow, did he not expect to be such a small part in Kida's life!

He was offered a job after he helped clean up a spill by one of the harried workers, and so, Mikado would disappear to work at the busy counter and text on his off time, munching slowly on an ice cream cone.

Mikado started staying after his shift, late into the evening in a secluded booth, texting away on his phone. Kida would pick him up and walk him to the still empty house, filled with his parents things. Both Kida and Mikado were living in homes that didn't actually see either of their parents, so one afternoon, Kida showed up at Mikado's place with a bright yellow baseball bat which he left in Mikado's room.

That's when Mikado started to notice that the 'harried worker' who had given him a job wore a yellow wrist band.

He started seeing people all over the place with small yellow markers, but he scolded himself for having an overactive imagination.

But, he did add a password just for opening his cell phone before the menu page.

* * *

A boy stood in front of a desk, watching talented hands play with a phone.

"I see that he finally added a password. His paranoia is increasing." The seated man said, flipping the phone close.

The boy nodded.

"Are you scared for him? Scared I'll turn him into a puppet just like the two of you?" He teased him.

"I still can't believe they paid with him! He's their son! How could they!" the boy cried.

The seated man laughed. "Ah, but picking him up like a package...he really is a kind person. I can hardly stand him. He is outside of this world, and he wants to come in, whereas I wish to escape from this world and watch humans forever."

Red eyes scanned the unassuming cell phone. "But, I would gladly show him my world."

The boy accepted the phone and pocketed it in his hoodie.

"See to it that he comes to no harm." The seated man ordered from his throne. The boy nodded and headed out.

* * *

School started, and Mikado became friends with Sonohara Anri. Kida would walk him home, but then he would vanish.

And then, one day, Saki vanished, and Mikado was left with Anri while Kida disappeared.

Confused, Mikado and Anri looked for answers, before Mikado remembered the name of Kida's friend.

Sonohara-san stared at him.

"Did you say…Orihara Izaya?" She whispered.

"Ah, yes. He came with Kida when they picked me up. He even helped me with the paperwork for keeping a job during school, so long as I kept my grades up."

Mikado replied, grabbing his jacket.

"Please don't go!" Sonohara-san cried out.

"Huh? Why?"

"He…he's bad news. And very dangerous." Sonohara-san whispered.

"But he might now where Kida is." Mikado replied. When Sonohara raised her head to look at him, Mikado noticed that her eyes were red. She studied him for a moment, and then stepped up next to him.

"All right. I will go with you." She said.

Mikado watched her confident steps towards him, and smiled.

"Thank you Anri-chan. Saika." Then he zipped up his jacket and they rushed out the door, the slasher following this cold person.

He welcomed her as a person, not a parasite.

* * *

Over in Shinjuku, the seated man smiled, before getting up.

Sitting by him, holding the hand of his poisoned girlfriend, Kida watched her draw breath and sweat.

They waited in silence.

* * *

Mikado stopped running, skidding to a halt outside of the ice cream parlor, an idea coming to him.

"Anri-chan."

She looked between him and the open lights of the parlor.

"Right."

* * *

Mikado knocked and entered the office of Orihara Izaya. The information broker was there, and so was Kida, and Saki, ragged breaths escaping her.

"So, did I come here as the founder of Dollars, as Kida's friend, or to deal with you, information broker?" Mikado asked, stepping in. The plastic bag swung on his arm, and Anri closed the door behind herself.

She removed the bag from his arm, and walked over to Kida. She handed him a pint of ice cream, pressing another cold container to Saki, who gave a violent jerk and sat up, scowling at her.

Saki shook her head and accepted the ice cream, tucking herself into Kida's side.

Anri dropped the bag and the remaining two containers on the table, retreating past Mikado with her own.

Izaya stopped opposite Mikado and watched him.

"I do believe….that my dear Mikado-chan came here as all three." He announced in a soft voice. "Did you enjoy being baby-sat by the yellow scarves? I couldn't let anything happen to you. After all, your parents paid with you for a service."

"Yes, making my Dads friend's debt disappear, I know." Mikado replied flatly.

"Shall we?" He motioned to the bag.

Nodding, Izaya sat down on the couch on Saki's other side and opened up his pint.

"Now, about high school the upcoming gang wars to make way for the Dollars…"

They talked long into the night.

[Fourth Idea]

Mikado had been called by a frantic Kida, and he rushed out of his room. Apparently Shizuo-san had started a fight with Izaya in Ikebukuro, and Anri-chan and he were trapped by the fighting.

"We aren't in immediate danger, but if we don't get out of here soon!" The connection had cut.

Now, Mikado has very bad stamina. Anri-chan could outrun him. So when he flew past Izaya, ducked under Shizuo swinging another sign, and tore into a partial divide, both of the fighters paused.

Anri and Kida stumbled out of their hiding place, tugged along by Mikado, who snarled at Izaya and Shizuo, before launching into a tirade about 'protecting Ikebukuro' and ended with

"And unless you can learn to get along, I don't want to see either of you in Ikebukuro! Damnit, both of you are a menace to the city!"

Mikado turned and stormed off, taking Kida and Anri into a nearby ice cream parlor.

The sound of a sign landing on the asphalt was the only noise as people exited the street, leaving two men standing in the empty street.

* * *

Winter break came, and Mikado got a job at a seasonal ice cream parlor, catering to birthday parties. Kida was a hit with the kids, cheering up the party.

Anri's demure demeanor was a hit with the parents, helping through the hyper children's antics. She became known for slipping little pick-ups to the parents, and business was brisk over Winter break.

The western tradition of Christmas came and went, and then the New Year, and then their Zodiac New Year came in January.

It was shortly after their trip to a temple that Mikado saw two men standing outside the ice cream parlor. One was blowing bubble gum, while the other jumped around, clearly worked up in a fit. A hand swiped up to gesticulate, and the fur lined parka hood was knocked off.

Mikado stopped. Kida and Anri peered around him, before they came to a standstill as well. Then, Mikado started walking again, this time headed towards the two.

Anri and Kida hurried after him, falling into step next to him.

"I'm guessing you two are here for the ice cream and hot fudge?" Mikado called out as they approached.

Izaya's head whipped around, his body following. Shizuo reached out and caught him before he bent out of shape and nodded to Mikado.

Mikado opened the door, letting them in. After filing in, he switched the sign to 'closed' and headed behind the counter.  
After filling out the orders for Kida and Anri, he looked at Shizuo and Izaya.

"Banana sundae, all the toppings, with two spoons." Izaya replied in a chipper voice. Shizuo nodded and tossed his gum.

Mikado finished the dessert and placed it in front of the two men.

"I see that you two have gotten closer."

Izaya giggled, and hugged Shizuo's arm closer to himself. "Well, I've given up on loving all of the humans for this jealous bastard, and he's given up smoking in return."

Shizuo cut some of the banana and ice cream out with a spoon, and offered it to Izaya, who opened his mouth and allowed the plastic and food inside.

After removing the spoon, Shizuo tossed it into the bin.

Swallowing, Izaya opened his mouth and found another spoonful being put in. After removing the empty spoon, Shizuo stuck it in his mouth.

Kida felt chills and Anri just shook her head.

_Well, at least they're comfortable together_. Mikado reasoned. _Although I do wonder what Shizuo controlling what Izaya eats means…_

Izaya and Shizuo looked at Mikado expectantly.

"Are you two waiting for my blessing?" Mikado deadpanned over his ice cream.

Izaya and Shizuo nodded.

"I mean, we fight, but now…the more things change, the more they stay the same, and we would really like to have a proper ceremony with everyone there."

"I wanted to invite Kasuka face to face." Shizuo explained.

Mikado beamed at them, his face lighting up. Shadows seemed to shrink from the indoors, banished outside to the cold.

"Great! I'm glad to see you two so happy after all!"

Izaya grinned, and snuggled into Shizuo. "Yes. Yes, we are very happy."

Shizuo gave Izaya a warm smile, pulling the spoon out and setting it back in the sundae. That look, only for Izaya….

Anri, Kida, and Mikado all felt they were intruding in something special.

[Fifth Idea: The Time Mikado Was Treated to Ice Cream]

Mikado sighed. Working with Aoba, keeping the gangs under check, working with Izaya, keeping the Dollars under check, not dating Anri until Kida returned….

The high schooler was stressed.

Sighing, Mikado turned through the park he used to frequent with his two friends, sat down, and reflected what it was like back then, and the uncertainty that followed him now.

* * *

Across town, Anri mused over how Saik seemed to be 'controllable' now. As in, the mother sword had started to take a protective edge towards Mikado. She didn't know what to make of it, and her recent trips through second hand stores and old manuscripts trying to find the origin of the demon sword, or any demon swords, was eating into what time she could be spending with Mikado.

But would she be a danger to Mikado if Kida returned and gave her permission to date him? Could she keep him safe from that….that…

Flea?

Anri sighed. Even in her own mind, she couldn't call him flea. That other parasite…she frowned, and continued walking on home.

* * *

Anri noticed someone in a Raira uniform in the old park she used to stop by with her friends. And sneaking up behind Mikado was someone with blond highlights in his black hair.

Breaking into a run, Anri clear jumped over the sitting Mikado and slammed into the figure.

"Whoa! Anri-chan!"

Pausing, Anri slide Saika back inside of her. Mikado had stood up, and turned around.

"Aw, man! Now I have to treat both of you." Kida teased, getting back up. This close, Anri realized it was a cone of ice cream in his hand. Blushing from her rushed conclusion, she retreated to sit next to Mikado, who numbly accepted the ice cream from Kida.

"You…you're back."

The ice cream fell to the ground, and Mikado dragged Kida into a hug, crying into his shoulder.

Kida put his arms gently around Mikado.

"Sorry for making you wait."

On the park bench, Anri reached out to her child to bring three new ice cream cones, and watched the love of two friends from where she sat.

END

Author's Note: …okay, I have no idea where most of this stuff came from. It just doesn't…argh. And now I'm off to update other stories. .


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